Swasti IV

SAGA OF SWASTI IV

Countermeasures to Bring Relief to Veteran Communities of Yamuna Ravines

पूर्व सैनिकों का देश निर्माण मन्च

All India Ex Soldiers League

INDIAN MILITARY VETERANS
Platform for fraternal and nation building missions

सत्य मेव जयते

सारे जहॉ से अच्छा हिन्दुस्तान हमारा

2008-2010

(Background Narrative from Presidents Account)

Ensive ravines astride Yamuna and Chambal Rivers are symbolic of mass eco destruction and advance of arid zone over thousands of hectares of once open forest of Central India. Stripped of top cover most soil becoming silt. Erratic inconsistent monsoons rendering terrain most harsh for survival, marginalizing farming communities the granary of soldiering since ages. Alarmed at rapidly declining sub soil water table and drying up wells, drew our attention while visiting an old widow of an ex subedar in village Silaita in remote ravine. She asked me to shoot her since she is too old to fetch water from far off as her well dries up in summers. Appeals to visiting candidates seeking her vote, unheeded even as hand pumps go dry. Her touching plea and water insecurity in region became our cause to seek solution. We liaised with Administration and Jal Board who put their hands up despite migration due to shrinking agriculture As a Sapper one one could not accept such setback be it peace or war “ Sarvatra” our motto. So suggested the possibility of arresting monsoon run off with check dams but rejected by Jal Board as being unviable in silt. Not deterred decided to experiment on our own and got the community to pledge voluntary support collectively using veteran NCOs to lead teams for task force. But had no resources, funds or equipment. Approached various ministries for help but to no avail against entrenched and unimaginative bureaucracy. It was UNDP impressed by the idea and offered us a paltry grant to cover just one third of cost . This could not meet expenses specially for hiring EM machine. Finall Army came to rescue by provideds a Para Brigade dozer team for duration of first scheme Swasti I at village Silaita ( widows village}. This becoming a drill for Swasti II and Swasti IV became a dill for follow-up ie Swasti II and Swasti IV taken up on popular demand from villages Jhabrapura and Pratapner latter depicted on this page. On question of design we had no resources to hire a consultant. Not deterred again, took bold military engineers step to design ourselves despite without any knowhow just using gut instincts, searched net finally proverbial Khanna’s Hanbook for Civil Engineers Produced a design for both brick and earthen check dams.

IMPACT

Þ Produced water bodies by arresting runoff from catchment largest 1.3 kms in Swasti IV.

Þ Cumulatively, the three checkdams raised the sub soil water level by 1.5-2 mtrs in 16 hecs of plateaux thus reducing the time taken for watering fields saving on fuel.

Þ All village wells remain charged even during summers.

Þ Moisturisation of soil brough soil cover around the check dams and back waters.

Þ Mde possible to restore tree cover once open sheesham forest.

Reappearance of lost herbs such as rare GLOROSIA SUPRBA FLOWERS WERE